Last week, the Southeast Missouri State University dance team, the Sundancers, learned they were selected for the NCA Collegiate National Dance Team Championships. This is Southeast's third invitation in three years. The Sundancers were ranked seventh among the top 20 Division I teams. This year's national dance championship will be held April 5-9 in Daytona Beach, Fla., and will be televised on CBS and USA networks.

"This has been a great year for Southeast athletics," said Sundancer coach Suzanne Vaughan. "Earning our third straight invitation to the dance team championships is a big accomplishment, but to be ranked in the nation's preliminary top ten says a lot about the high quality of our program."

This year's top 20 college dance teams include the University of Massachusetts, Harvard, Creighton, Long Beach State, New Hampshire, and the 1999 national champion, Towson University. Southeast was the only Ohio Valley Conference school to receive a bid and be ranked in the NCA Division I top 20 college teams.

The top ten ranking was a pleasant surprise because this year the Sundancers were forced to submit their national audition bid via videotape. "Due to almost half of the Sundancers joining the Golden Eagles Marching Band for a month-long tour of Scotland last August, we were unable to audition at the NCA Midwest Regional Camp in Dallas," said Heather Biondo, a Southeast senior from St. Charles, Mo. By videotaping all of their fall performances at football and basketball games, Vaughan selected three routines that highlighted the team's versatility in pom, jazz and funk styles of dance.

"I was hoping NCA would give us a strong consideration because of our seventh place finishes in 1998 and 1999," said co-captain Monika Ratzlaff of Nashville, Tenn. "Our goal is to finish as one of the nation's top five programs, and a top ten prelim ranking should help motivate the team."

The Sundancers have a lot to do before they can leave for the national championships. Most of those efforts will focus on performances at the basketball games and fund raising. "Our budget does not include funding for nationals. We need to raise at least $8,000 to make sure we get to the competition," said Biondo." Our fund-raising efforts will focus on Sundancer poster sales and hosting the 'Sunbeams' youth dance clinic, which was held Jan. 29 at the Southeast-Eastern Kentucky basketball game."

For more information on team posters, contact Vaughan at (573) 651-2712 or check out the Sundancer homepage at www2.semo.edu/sundancers.

"Most people are unaware of how hard the Sundancers work and practice for their performances and competitions," Vaughan said. "We love to dance and show people why Southeast is one of the best teams in the nation. The compliments we receive from students, Boosters and the people throughout the region make it all worth it."

"Gender Bending: Beyond Sex Roles and Stereotypes" is the theme for the spring Common Hour Program at Southeast Missouri State University.

The theme focuses on the social construction of gender and how it affects the way we interact with each other today and throughout history.

"The theme of gender bending should not be seen as women's issues," said Lisa Peden, coordinator of Student Life Studies at Southeast. "We are actively seeking programs that address men's issues, as well as anything that addresses the evolving gender roles that have accelerated during the last century."

"Our first program of the spring semester was highly successful, with students raising interesting and thoughtful questions, making it a truly interactive forum," said Peden. Bobbi Morris, a nurse practitioner at the Center for Health and Counseling, and the Rev. J. Friedel of Catholic Campus Ministries, presented the first All-Campus Common Hour program, "Barefoot and Pregnant No More: How Women's Reproductive Health Issues Have Impacted Gender Roles." The program was presented during Common Hour Feb. 2 in Academic Auditorium.

Dr. Berrin Beasley, assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communication, will make a presentation Feb. 16 in Academic Auditorium titled "Happy Homemaker vs. Happy Hooker: How Women are Portrayed in Advertising." This presentation uses current examples to demonstrate how advertising objectifies women's bodies, sexualizes young girls and categorizes women as either sex objects or "homely matrons." Also on Feb. 16, Mary Mosely also will present "ERA - What Is It and Why Hasn't It Been Ratified?" in the University Center Ballroom from noon to 1 p.m.

Laura Evans from Communications Resource and formerly an international sales award winner for Dale Carnegie Training will present "Bitter or Better: Stretching the Comfort Zone" March 1 in Academic Auditorium.

On March 29, three concurrent Common Hour programs are scheduled. Cheryl Mothis of Edward Jones will present "Earning the Power/The Power of Earning: Financial Success for Women (and others who care to learn!)" in the University Center Missouriana Room. "What Gender is God?" will be presented by the Association of Campus Ministries in the University Center Ballroom. A presentation by Sexual Violence Network will be shown in Crisp Hall Room 125.

"Gender Relations: Do We Really Want Equality?" will be presented in Academic Auditorium April 5.

On April 19 in Academic Auditorium, Dr. Bonnie Stepenoff, Dr. Stephanie Chamberlain, Dr. Debrah Raschke and Dr. Dean Shackelford will present "Revamping Dracula: Sex and Power in the Female Vampire." A showcase of winners of a student contest will be held during Common Hour May 3 in Glenn Auditorium in Dempster Hall. The contest invites students to conduct a research experiment, compose any form of creative writing, write an opinion or an editorial, or create artwork of any media to explore some facet of gender relations. Common Hour is held every Wednesday during the noon hour, when no classes are scheduled. The program provides students, faculty and staff the opportunity to develop a sense of community by participating in a variety of intellectually stimulating, socially relevant activities related to a common theme throughout the semester. These activities provide a mechanism in which members of the campus community can explore, in some depth, issues of relevance to the individual, the institution and

the larger society, in ways that not only help participants develop critical thinking skills but also help them better understand their connection to others on campus, The All-Campus program will be held the first Wednesday of the month in Academic Auditorium. Two Common Hours are set aside each month for clubs and groups. One Common Hour also will be set aside each month for concurrent theme-related programs.

NATIONAL, STATE FORECASTS FOR 2000 TO BE TOPIC OF ECONOMIC OUTLOOK CONFERENCE

"What's Ahead for the Year 2000? is the theme of the Second Annual Economic Outlook Conference slated for Feb. 24 on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The conference will be held from noon to 2 p.m. in Glenn Auditorium of Robert A. Dempster Hall. A box lunch will be served.

Dr. Phillip Miller, assistant director of the College of Business Administration Research Center at the University of Missouri-Columbia, is scheduled to make a presentation titled "The National and State Forecasts for 2000."

Speaking on the Southeast Missouri economy will be Glen Smallwood, business development executive, AmerenUE; Leon Steinbrueck, executive director of the Bootheel Regional Planning Commission in Malden, Mo.; and Thomas Tucker, executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission.

University sponsors of the conference are the Center for Economic and Business Research, the Department of Economics and the Donald L. Harrison College of Business. Corporate sponsors are

Mercantile Bank and Union Planters Band. Registration for the conference is $12, which includes the box lunch. Reservation deadline if Feb. 18. For more information or to register, call (573) 651-2013 or (573) 651-2181.

The Southeast Missouri State University Jazz Program will present "An Evening of Jazz" Feb. 15 at the River City Yacht Club at Port Cape Girardeau.

The concert is a benefit for the Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival with featured artist and jazz trumpet legend Clark Terry planned for April 15.

The Feb. 15 concert will feature David Scott, jazz trumpet recording artist from New York; Jim Widner, jazz bassist, band leader and recording artist from Jefferson City, Mo.; and Dr.Richard Moore, a jazz pianist from Cape Girardeau. Members of the Southeast Studio Jazz Ensemble will perform as well.

22nd ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL ART SYMPOSIUM OPENING FEB. 6 IN UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

The 22nd Annual High School Art Symposium will open Feb. 6 in the Southeast Missouri State University Museum. An opening reception is planned for 2 to 4 p.m.

This year's exhibit will showcase 114 pieces of artwork in the areas of sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, printmaking, photography and fibers. Nick Elfrink, a retired art teacher and high school administrator from Marble Hill, Mo., served as the juror for this year's show. Elfrink holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in art from Southeast Missouri State.

First, second and third place awards will be presented in each category at a ceremony planned for 3 p.m. Feb. 6.

Dr. Edwin Smith, coordinator of the symposium, said 565 works were submitted for this year's exhibit, from which the 114 were selected. Entries were received from 24 Missouri high schools from St. Louis to Cooter, Mo., he said.

Works exhibited in the Annual High School Art Symposium will remain on display in the University Museum through Feb. 29. The Museum is located in Memorial Hall and is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.